Skip to main content

Grima - The irritating sound (Psychology)

You must have come across the irritating sound resulting from a sharp object scratching another rough surface. Ever wondered what it is called? Finger nails scraping a blackboard It is called 'Grima' Although it is not yet included in standard English, mostly Spanish speakers call it so, when they hear this unpleasant sound, resulting from a chalk or nails scratching against a blackboard, a fork scratching a plate, nails scratching a wall etc. Psychologists say, it should be considered distinct from other emotions. It is seen that some people can bear this sound to some extent whereas some can't bear it even for a second. What Spanish speakers mean by 'Grima' is, an unpleasant sensation, shivering and repulsion. Stimuli that draws it out , includes squeaking noises of doors, scratching with fingernails on surfaces etc. It   is rated as less pleasant than disgust. It is also seen that people get a sensation of itchy skin and goosebumps in such cases. Research: Over ...
Post a Comment

SPOILER ON A VEHICLE (Automotives)




You must have noticed a wing-like structure fitted at the back of a car, shown in the image below. Ever wondered what that is called?


 Techies / Mechies must be well aware of it, but the non-technical folks deserve to know about this, too.



SPOILER ON A VEHICLE




This article is about 'Spoiler', the wing-like structure fitted at the back of any vehicle. You'll get to know why it is used and how it works.


Now a days, many people merely get it fitted on their cars to just make it look sporty, but it only works if the manufacturer fits it after doing research and development, performing several tests.


A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose work is to 'spoil' the unwanted air flow across the body of an automobile in motion, known as 'drag' - the resistance by air, flowing opposite to the direction of the motion of the vehicle.


Spoliers are usually fitted to the race or high performance sports cars. However, now a days, many automobile companies design passenger vehicles having a factory-fitted spoiler.


Function:


Spoilers are designed such that it disrupts some type of airflow passing around a moving vehicle. A typical spoiler diffuses air by increasing the amount of turbulence flowing over the shape, spoiling the laminar flow and providing a cushion for the laminar boundary layer.


The primary objective of majority of the spoilers used in passenger vehicles, is to reduce the drag and increase fuel efficiency. Cars could be equipped with both rear and front spoilers while the front spoiler is integrated with the front bumper and is often called 'Air dam'. This is used to decrease the amount of air going underneath the vehicle, to reduce the drag coefficient of lift.


Aesthetic benefit:


Due to their association with race or sports cars, spoilers are often viewed as 'sporty', by the customers, but aftermarket spoilers used on cars are nothing but just an aesthetic benefit and have no aerodynamic benefit at all.


Materials:


Spoilers play a significant role in automotive aerodynamics and so does the material chosen, to build it. Spoilers are usually made of light weight polymer based materials. some commonly used materials are as follows:

  • ABS Plastic
  • Carbon Fibre
  • Silicone
  • Fibre glass


SPOILER ON A VEHICLE
An aerodynamic test on a car, to gauge the behaviour of the spoiler in actual practice



So, the next time you happen to see a wing-like structure sticking at the back of a car, be it fake or functional; you know what to call it!



Thank you so much for going through this article.






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Please do not enter any spam link in the comment box.

Popular posts from this blog

BASOREXIA - THE SECRET OF A KISS (Psychology)

Ever ran into the abnormally sweet feeling of kissing someone..? This little article is about the sudden compulsive feeling of kissing. Although, the reason for the very feeling, 'Basorexia' , varies from person to person, it happens with all of us, at some point of time in our lives, unless one happens to be asexual. It, mostly, is too quick or inexplicable for the person to actually get in depth and think over the feeling, he/she has experienced. Hence, it just hits you and vanishes in no time. Basorexia shouldn't be mistaken for libido, it's purely an overwhelming urge or a strange craving for a kiss. As long as you continue to feel that urge, you are said to have Basorexia , but you happen to come out of the strange sweet feeling as soon as you get into a kiss. One, while experiencing it, typically has the urge to kiss sensually on the lips, cheeks or neck. It usually comes when the other person does something really likeable, pleasant or funny; especially, when i...
Post a Comment
Read more

PHUBBING - A dangerous habit (Phone Snubbing)

You must have, many a time, knowingly or unknowingly ignored people with or around you, just to be on your phone. Have you ever thought if this very behaviour has a name? No..? Well, it's called Phubbing. Phubbing It's basically a portmanteau, coined from a combination of the words 'Phone' and 'Snubbing' , which means 'to ignore' . Phubbing might not be a part of your daily vocabulary, but it certainly is a part of your daily life in today's world. You could just think, how many times we pull out our phone, pausing a real conversation with someone after hearing a notification bell and then get lost in the social media universe, ending up phubbing the person we were in a conversation with. Effects: This behaviour might  seem to be relatively harmless but researchers say, it might affect your relationship to a great extent, at a psychological level. It's an irony that on one hand, phones and social media are supposed to be used to connect people...
Post a Comment
Read more

PARESTHESIA - The weird sensation (Pins and Needles)

Ever experienced numbness in your arms or legs with no serious physical cause? ..You sure did! This article is about the abnormal, tingling, prickling sensation called 'Paresthesia' , mostly in your arms and legs that you often get after being in a position with your arms or legs pressed, for a long time. Numbness in feet Paresthesia is usually painless and can take place anywhere in the body, but most commonly felt in arms and legs. The most familiar kind of Paresthesia is the sensation known as 'pins and needles' after having a limb 'fall asleep'. Another unfamiliar and uncommon type of it, is Formication - the sensation of insects crawling underneath your skin. Etymology: The word Paresthesia is derived from the Greek word 'para' meaning 'abnormal', and 'aisthesia' meaning 'sensation'. Causes: Paresthesia of the hands, feet and legs are common transient symptoms. The shortest, electric shock type of paresthesia can be c...
Post a Comment
Read more